Paint chip repair on silver VW GTI

[imported_avdiscolo]

I did my first full paint chip repair on my son`s silver GTI yesterday, and I`m happy with the results except for the paint color match. (I got the touch up paint from the dealer.) The repaired paint is smooth and glossy, but it looks like I filled the entire chip (about .25" in diameter) with clearcoat. The attached photo is of the completed job. You can see the chip in the lower middle of the picture.



I applied several coats of touch up paint over the last several weeks. However, a very small amount of paint did overflow into the surrounding area. Could this have caused the paint match problem?



Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Five Star]

no it looks like the metallic settling, but its hard to tell in the photo

[Charlies02GLS]

I`ve got a reflex silver `02 Jetta and it`s a tough one to get metallic to lay out. I`ve tried dealer, parts store, and paintscratch.com touch up and the best results came from paintscratch.com.



How did you apply the paint?

[Accumulator]

I too find it impossible to get a perfect match with silver. Between the color itself, the size, distribution, and concentration of the metallic element, and the clear....well, there are just *so* many variables that I can never get it close to what I consider right. Sometimes people get lucky though, but IMO that`s what it is, luck.



Best results come from having a pro spot in the area (a good pro, who knows how to tint paint so it`ll match), but it`s hardly worth it for a few rock chips. I just live with it.

[imported_avdiscolo]

How did you apply the paint?

I applied in layers with a Griot`s fine tip touch up applicator.

[Accumulator]

You might do a bit better with a small artist`s brush, but it probably won`t help the matching much. Maybe a bit though, as it might distribute the metallic better. I like the size 0, 00, or 000 ones for small chips; much smaller and they`re sometimes *too* small for metallic car paint.



If you like the sort of disposable applicators like the Griot`s, there are some smaller ones available from MicroMark. I can just never seem to get the same results with them that I get with brushes though.

[imported_avdiscolo]

You might do a bit better with a small artist`s brush, but it probably won`t help the matching much. Maybe a bit though, as it might distribute the metallic better. I like the size 0, 00, or 000 ones for small chips; much smaller and they`re sometimes *too* small for metallic car paint.



If you like the sort of disposable applicators like the Griot`s, there are some smaller ones available from MicroMark. I can just never seem to get the same results with them that I get with brushes though.

Thanks Accumulator.



I`m wondering if this problem is caused by not applying the paint in small enough layers. I read from several sources that I should only apply as much as will fit on the tip of a toothpick for each layer. I applied significantly more than that each time. With drying time between each layer, it would have taken a very long time to fill in that large chip with a toothpick.



How do the tips of the 0, 00, and 000 brushes compare to the tip of a toothpick?

[Accumulator]

..With drying time between each layer, it would have taken a very long time to fill in that large chip with a toothpick.



How do the tips of the 0, 00, and 000 brushes compare to the tip of a toothpick?



The 000 is about the same size and the others are bigger. But note that they hold/release paint better than the toothpick. You can do OK work with the toothpick, especially if you whittle it down to a fine, long point and the mash it to make it like a brush, but I like the brushes a lot better.



This reminds me that I can`t find my 0000 and 00000 brushes and need to get new ones before I work on the BMW...with the fine metallics used in most b/c paint these can be useful but they`re a bit too small for the ss metallic on my Jag.



I visited the painter who`s working on my Jag today, and we were discussing filling in chips and deep scratches like on my BMW. We both thought that you oughta just add enough color to cover the bottom of the chip and then do all the "filling in" with clear.